1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for remotely powering down or suspending a device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method that ignore a power down signal (or suspend or save and sleep signal) if the device is currently performing a preferred activity.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most homes today, there are a variety of electronic devices used by various people. Often times, several of these devices are connected together via a network, which may be a wireless network. The electronic devices, such as personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, web-enabled televisions, game devices, personal music devices, etc., are likely to be spread throughout different rooms of the house.
Parents often wish to control their children's use of electronic devices. For example, a parent may decide that a child should stop using his personal computer or other electronic device at a certain time, or after a certain amount of time has elapsed. However, the parent may not be in the same room as the child. Even if the parent is in the same room as the child, the parent may not be aware of which program or activity is currently being executed on the child's electronic device. Further, the parent may decide that it is time for the child's device to be powered down, however, it may be that the child is currently using his or her device to perform an activity of which the parent approves and would wish to continue.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that allow someone, such as a parent, to remotely control a device, such as a child's personal computer or other electronic device.